By KMS Woodworks, Networx
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Service Life Varies
The garage door torsion spring is the large wound spring that runs above the garage door's opening. These are often found as a pair, mounted on both sides of the center point. These springs are designed to work in tandem to lift the hundreds of pounds of garage door so that you and your opener only see a small percentage of the load. Basic springs may have a service duty of about 10,000 cycles, which for many people might be 5-7 years of service. Heavy-duty springs may allow 50,000 to 100,000 cycles. If your warranty on your new door is only 5 years then you might have one of the more basic springs.
Replacement or Adjustment is Not for the Average DIYer
Since a garage door torsion spring is positioned above the door opening, the only easy access is when the garage door is closed. This is when a garage door torsion spring is bearing the heaviest load and must be given the most respect. Loosening a spring's anchor bolt without the proper precautions can cause the garage door torsion spring to release all of its stored energy in a fraction of a second. If a wrench or winding bar is improperly positioned during this sudden release, they could be catapulted with speeds approaching supersonic velocity. Anyone or thing in that missile's path is going to be in for a big surprise.
This Tiger has Two Heads
It may seem obvious to use caution when working on the springs' winding brackets, but another area that carries risk is where the lifting cable mounts to the door itself. This location can be up to 8 or 10 feet away from the spring. Many unsuspecting homeowners have discovered this suddenly, as the roller they were hoping to replace gets ripped off by the lifting cable that is attached to it. The winding drum is also an area where caution is required, as it connects the main shaft to the cable. This mechanism works as a complete assembly with many of the parts being connected to many others; understanding this complete "system" will allow for safety.
Some homeowners pick up the phone or search great websites to find skilled and qualified service professionals for adjusting or replacing garage door torsion springs; others may spend many hours researching and planning to complete the task themselves. Whatever camp you're in, garage door torsion springs need to be treated with caution and respect.
Source: http://www.networx.com/article/garage-door-torsion-spring-safety-tips-a
